General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: 'Groundbreaking': Democratic Co-Sponsors Rush Aboard Bernie's Medicare for All Train [View all]stevenleser
(32,886 posts)People think "Oh, when we get Medicare for all life will be all champagne and roses as far as healthcare is concerned because it's that beautiful single payer thing and single payer must be good and perfect"
60-70% of Americans have healthcare via their employer that is better than Medicare is/would be. Assuming Medicare for all is passed. What is going to happen when all those people get worse healthcare coverage than they are used to getting?
I'll tell you what would happen. The GOP would lead a campaign saying "See, Socialist Healthcare is bad and we need to go back to private payer once and for all" and it would happen. Quickly.
Could it be fixed? Well, to close the gaps in coverage you are experiencing plus all the other gaps would cost a lot of money. It remains a big question mark whether Medicare can be fixed in such a way where it is cost effective, particularly without layering private supplemental coverage on top of it. But that is not single payer anymore at that point.